How did you get started in the banking industry? Prior to starting a career in financial services, I worked long hours as a manager at a hair salon. The schedule was rough and erratic, so I started looking for something with more predictable hours (like bankers’ hours) and applied to be a teller at World Savings and Loan. Given my management background, they offered me a job as a management trainee, which I accepted. I quickly progressed to managing my own branch. I didn’t know anything about banking. I didn’t even know what a CD was. But I learned quickly and really enjoyed the opportunity to help others along their financial journey. What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? I enjoy seeing the excitement on kids’ faces when they visit the bank to open an account, dump their piggy banks in the coincounting machine, make a deposit or apply for their first credit card or personal loan. I truly enjoy helping youth develop good money habits at a young age and arming them with knowledge and strategies to avoid financial missteps in the future. What makes your bank unique? It’s the only FDIC-insured bank that caters specifically to children through age 21. We offer the same products and services as “adult” banks, but we incorporate financial education at every stage of a child’s development, starting with savings accounts for young kids, checking accounts with a debit card for children ages 10+, credit cards at age 12, and personal and auto loans for teenagers. By giving kids the opportunity to practice saving, spending, and borrowing while they’re young, we’re setting them up for long-term financial success. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be a teacher. I always admired teachers and thought it would be fun working with kids. Now I get to be a banker and a teacher at the same time! What is your favorite movie or book, and why? I love the movie Where the Heart Is with Natalie Portman and Ashley Judd. I cry every time I watch it. Who is one of the most influential figures in your life? My mother. Her strength of character, work ethic and selflessness inspired me to be the same kind of mother to my own children. Vicky Aragon Vice President Young Americans Bank CBA Centerpoint How did you get started in the banking industry? I began my career after college with a large regional bank. I entered the bank’s Audit Development program, which was a multi-year rotational program through the different departments and functions of a bank holding company. I felt it was a great way to see a very large, complex industry without the stress of immediately deciding what I wanted my specific career-long passion to be. After completing and reflecting on the rotations, it became very clear that Credit and Lending were the right fit for my skill set and personality. What do you enjoy about your job? What I enjoy most about my job in Commercial Banking is the relationships we have built with our customers over the years. Whether it is helping owners at the start-up level, expansion level or transition level, helping them get access to capital can be a challenging yet exciting process. My role is to work with people and form connections to help them achieve their goals. It is incredibly rewarding to look at different projects that we have completed with our customers and the different strategies we collaborated on to get to a shared goal. What makes your bank unique? I believe that Citywide Banks truly provides a great, all-around experience for our customers. The bank has the personal touch and feel of a small community bank but with the strength and technology of a large regional bank. This combination allows our customers access to state-of-the-art banking tools as well as direct local connections to help with all aspects of their business or personal needs. The bank has also invested well in its employees, which is directly connected to the customers’ experience. I am very proud of how well Citywide partners with and sponsors different organizations around the state to foster economic growth. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? That is easy, a banker. My father was an economics professor, so I had access to the Wall Street Journal and The Economist at an early age. My father tried to make economics and financial markets exciting and fun. When I was in elementary school, he bought me five shares of the Boston Celtics and showed me how to track the stock in the Journal every day. I have tried that same approach with my kids to foster financial education without it seeming too complex or intimidating. Jack Kozlowski SVP Commercial Banking Citywide Banks Colorado Banker 16
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